Chemical analysis tools such as gas chromatographs, mass spectrometers, ion mobility spectrometers, and various others, are commonly used to identify trace amounts of chemicals, including, for example, chemical warfare agents, explosives, narcotics, toxic industrial chemicals, volatile organic compounds, semi-volatile organic compounds, hydrocarbons, airborne contaminants, herbicides, pesticides, and various other hazardous contaminant emissions.
Most samples that undergo analysis for explosive material are heated to vaporize or release them from a carrier medium and are subsequently introduced into a chemical analyzer for detection. This technique is effective for detecting traditional organic explosives (e.g., TNT, NG, RDX). Inorganic salt-based explosives (e.g., permanganates, perchlorates, picrics, peroxides), however, have boiling points that are too high for practical vaporization by traditional thermal techniques. Thus, there is a need to develop new techniques that are capable of releasing both organic and inorganic explosive materials from a carrier medium. In addition, in order to be used in a wide range of applications, new techniques should be capable of quickly releasing organic and inorganic explosive materials from a carrier medium for subsequent analysis.